Power gear jacks down sensor

[gsf35099]

Hi gang,
I've got Power Gear leveling system and was looking for help on how to test the sensors for the jacks to be retracted. It's one of my rear jacks that's not sensing being up. I got around the problem on this trip by unplugging the control panel so it would not flip out when I put the RV in gear. 🙂
Thanks for any help.

[chucl66]

Check ground wire on jacks. I hade this problem, it was a loose gd.

Chuck

[gsf35099]

Looks like I just needed to cycle the jacks a few times. All good now.
Thanks again to all that replied.

[Goldencrazy]

Same symptoms but different fix. Bad solenoid

[gsf35099]

Okay, jacks all retracted this morning. I spray them with silicone. Check the fluid & it was coming out the weep hole as instructions say when filling. Gave it a little more & still have jack down on. Must have a bad float. When I get home I will test the float connector. Should be able to use ohm meter just not sure if its NC or NO switch. I'm an electrical engineer & can figure that out. May have to contact PG for a little help. They are great with helping on issues.

[gsf35099]

Thanks to everyone. Based on the volume of responses, I would have to say the down sensor is reservoir being low!!! LOL. That is why I love this site where people are more than willing to help others out. I haven't had to add any fluid since I've owned the RV and know there are no leaks, plus I've heard the fluid will dissipate a very little bit over the many years and require some to be added.

Thanks again to everyone that provided the helpful info.

[jerseyjim]

My "alarm went off" when preparing to leave a cg. Motorhome is 12 years old. All the jacks were fully retracted "jacks down" alarm notwhistanding. Driving back to the house, the alarm and light would go on...and off...and on again, finally stopping after about 15-20 minits. E-mailed POWERGEAR, "Bill" in a return e-mail said it is either the float or low on fluid. (Dextron III). I added a bit of Dextron III, and when leaving for the next trip, no alarm. Fixed. Or so I thought. Packing up after this latest run...same thing. Alarm went off. Jacks were retracted. A few weeks later, while changing the motoroil and greasing the chassis, I discovered oil pooling in the "foot" of the jack on the front drivers' side. Oh, Oh...a leak.
Problem...I could not find any "hydraulic" shop closer than 60-70 miles from the house that MIGHT be interested in a rebuild. All they did were hoses and fittings. Downloading the POWERGEAR pdf on a rebuild, I simply do not have the tools to do it with. So...my last and most expensive alternitive was to order a new jack. Getting the old was off was really not a biggie, the hydraulic fitting came off just fine, but them BOLTS...wow. My 7 gal. 125# compressor and my Harbor Freight impact gun were simply not up the task. Borrowed a friends 200# 20 gallon compressor with his Snap-On impact gun...and they came off like butter. Right tool for the right job. Then off to Grainger for hardened bolts and nuts.
The new jack should be coming in next week. About 550+ bucks. PowerGear, altho a good product, will not sell to me. Only thru a dealer or retailer. They do not offer rebuilding,either...like, for instance, "Roadmaster". And of course, having to go thru a dealer....I wonder what THEIR markup is...when I'm doing all the labor.
Might be consumer unfriendly, but there it is.

[uncle_t]

agree with all. mine has gone off on cold mornings. 1 oz of juice always fixes it.

[wa8yxm]

On Power gear hydraulic jacks, First visually verify the jacks are full up, THEN following the instructions in the manual top off the fluid tank.

It's a bit low in most cases, the sensor is a float in the tank.

IF THE JACKS ARE NOT FULLY RETRACTING.

Extend jacks normally, and follow the lubrication instructions in the manual.

NOTE: IF your jacks (and usually it is a rear jacks) has a ZERK fitting. You may hit it with a single stroke worth of WHITE LITHUM grease (i use black myself seems to work) this is effective on my rig.

[dougrainer]

gsf35099 wrote:
Hi gang,
I've got Power Gear leveling system and was looking for help on how to test the sensors for the jacks to be retracted. It's one of my rear jacks that's not sensing being up. I got around the problem on this trip by unplugging the control panel so it would not flip out when I put the RV in gear. 🙂
Thanks for any help.

Your year model has Hydraulic jacks. There is NO sensor on the jacks to sense being retracted. The sensor is in the fluid reservoir. When ALL 4 jacks have fully retracted, there will be a set amount of fluid returned to the reservoir. IF that fluid is correct, then the sensor will activate that the jacks are retracted. SINCE you state one of your rear jacks is not being sensed as fully retracted, that tells me you have visually looked and saw that one jack has NOT fully retracted. Because that jack has NOT retracted, your system is functioning as designed. The PG jacks have Grease Zircs on the bottom collar. Inject grease into that Zirc until you see the cylinder seal bulge. Usually, the PG jacks just need that grease to get them to fully retract. Grease all 4 jacks. That will fix your problem. Doug

[othertonka]

As stated in above posts, the "jacks down light and buzzer" aree controlled by the level of fluid in the reservoir. when mine act up, `~I make sure all the jacks are up and then I open the reservoir and using a clean or new plews pump oil can with a flexible spout, filled with Dexron III and just squirt a few pumps into the reservoir and that usually takes care of it. The fluid raises the float switch and turns off the alarm. Without using the oil pump can, it is almost impossible to fill from a bottle into such a small hole. Try it, you will like it.

[FeeLine]

We had Power Gear jacks on our previous MH. As Fred said, the sensor is in the tank, if it is the slightest bit low, the alarm will sound. I did have the alarm go off while making a turn into a campground that had a tilt to the road way. that can cause a little apprehension the first time it happens when your moving.

As said previously, make sure the tank is full. I have gotten into the habit of making sure the jacks are all up as part of my last minute check on my toad before we get on the road.

[fcooper]

All of the Power Gear system's I've seen sense jacks up by the level of fluid in the reservoir using a simple float switch. Get all the jacks completely up, and the fluid should be up to or very near the plug for adding fluid. Being just a little low can cause the alarm to sound.

I have seen the float switch become out of position if the mount gets twisted.

fred

[doxiemom11]

Ours did that and it was low on hydralic fluid. Doesn't have to be low very much and the sensors will alarm like a jack is still down. Drove us nuts until we figured it out.